Baraza

I am back at home, close to Nairobi. It’s going to be a late morning to work as my son is not well. I don’t mind the delay, my house in one of the most spectacular spots over looking the Great Rift Valley. My view is awesome, I get to birdwatch with a cup of tea in my hand or just spend hours gazing all the way into Tanzania across smokey mountains.

As lovely as it is here, I do feel a dull heaviness, I’m missing something deeply. The truth is that my heart is still in the Mara. I can’t believe how deeply I have fallen in love with that spectacular place, the people, the wilderness.

So here are my ten top secrets to why I love the Mara

1.The beauty is breathtaking. Can you imagine dressing like this every single day?

2.If you are not naturally beautiful, you can spend the entire day in the spa and blame the mud mask for your bad smell.

3. You can be fat, short, stubby, naked and still be proud… it’s not only about the big cats you know (anyone know who this friendly animal is?)

4. Adorable Asuka aka Mara vet– Her stories will make you laugh and cry, you can’t help but love her (she is the first field person that I have ever met who can get away with wearing cute outfits in the African bush).

5. I adore the small guys – don’t you wish you could just hug them?

6. Siesta’s over looking the world. The Masai live on the escarpment overlooking the Mara – it is a view to die for every morning.

7. Food….the buffet is to kill for. We saw five different predators on our first day!

8. No one minds your spots. One can get ridiculously close to these cheetahs who have world fame in the BBC’s Big Cat Diary

9. Tanning weather all year round. I thought this guy was sick and drew attention to Simon who had a good laugh at my ignorance.

10. You can reserve the worlds best viewing points. Leopards are so secretive that sightings are usually the no. 1 wish of every visitor. Seeing this spectacular chap at close range in full daylight was like dying and going to heaven. Leopards are so lazy that they just sit there ….actually, he slept through most of our encounter and looked up when we started the engine to leave….I snapped this shot just before he closed his eyes and curled up like a kitty, covering his face with a paw. Others were not so lucky. An american family we met had spent days looking for leopard and when they finally did spot one, the kids exclaimed with such excitement (naturally) that it terrified the leopard which took off before they could get a single photo. You can imagine their sweet but sour feelings….I felt a bit guilty showing them this photo.

I actually took all those photographs, recorded podcasts, and video plus so much more in three days. It felt like a dream….you know what it’s like when you first fall in love? Euphoric yes? You feel like you’re the only one feeling it….

Then I met an Austrian lady who so infatuated with the Mara that she leaves her home in England and lives for six months at a time at a lodge in the Masai Mara each year – and she has been doing this for years! There’s no competition, her love for the mara far exceeds mine. I feel pathetic, how can I compete with my three days? My last trip to Mara was 3 years ago! I feel like a little like a mistress – stealing a few moments with the Mara from time to time!

I have to remind myself that I was in the Mara Triangle for work not play, to learn more about the crisis that Kimojino is blogging about, and find new ways to help him and the Mara Conservancy secure the Mara Triangle for the longterm. It’s unthinkable that we could lose the Mara because of a collapse in tourism brought on by politics of a few egocentric individuals who would like to be called ‘leaders’. As Kenyans and global citizens, we all can help the Mara survive the crisis – I hope my pictures and podcasts convince you. Book your flight today … or make a donation on the Mara blog to secure this precious heritage for your next visit.